American R&B singer Chris Brown, former boyfriend of Rihanna, pleaded guilty on Friday in a London court to a brawl that occurred in a nightclub in 2023, and will be sentenced on October 26.
The 37-year-old singer, who is on bail, was present during the hearing at Southwark Magistrates’ Court, dressed in a beige suit and tie. He was arrested in May 2025 in England on suspicion of hitting music producer Abraham “Abe” Diaw with a bottle in a London club.
Several charges initially brought against him, including assault and battery, will be dropped, the prosecutor said. There will therefore be no trial strictly speaking, and the singer has been released on bail.
Chris Brown was arrested at a five-star hotel in Manchester, in the northwest of England, a few hours after arriving in British territory by private jet.
Almost a week in prison
He was imprisoned for almost a week before being released on bail, set at 5 million pounds (5.4 million francs).
The judge also authorized him to perform as part of his European tour, which started shortly after June 8 in Amsterdam.
The incident took place at Tape, a club located in the upscale Mayfair district of London, on February 19, 2023, while Chris Brown was also there on tour in the United Kingdom.
Producer “Abe” Diaw was allegedly hit several times with a bottle, before being punched and kicked by the singer and another accused, Omololu Akinlolu, 40.
This American also pleaded guilty, and will receive his sentence on the same date as Chris Brown.
The singer rose to prominence in the 2000s with songs such as “Kiss, Kiss” and “Run It!”
His career has been marred on several occasions by accusations of violence. He was notably convicted of beating then-girlfriend Rihanna before the 2009 Grammy Awards, forcing the pop superstar to miss the annual music industry gala.
